The hottest Revenue Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top Business Topics

Moving beyond founder-led sales

Kyle Poyar’s Growth Unhinged • 425 implied HN points • 22 Jan 25
💼 Business Revenue
  1. Warmly grew from zero to $700k ARR in 2023 by using a founder-led sales approach, where the co-founder took a hands-on role in closing sales.
  2. By shifting to a more structured and scalable sales process, Warmly was able to triple their revenue plan for 2024 and build a diverse sales team with various roles.
  3. They experimented with different marketing channels, including partnerships and paid ads, which helped them expand their customer base while learning which strategies were most effective.

PacBio @ JPM

ASeq Newsletter • 14 implied HN points • 13 Jan 26
💰 Finance Revenue
  1. Revenue grew only modestly (about 4%), totaling roughly $154M in 2024.
  2. They are burning around $110M a year and have about $280M in cash, giving just over two years of runway.
  3. Becoming profitable by 2027 looks unlikely without further cost cuts, and that target was not addressed in the presentation.

Deep dive on Xbox leak

SuperJoost Playlist • 317 implied HN points • 21 Sep 23
🕹 Technology Revenue
  1. Microsoft accidentally leaked internal documents revealing plans for Xbox until 2030.
  2. Microsoft aims for significant revenue growth in its gaming division, especially from Game Pass subscribers.
  3. The leaked documents show insights into Microsoft's strategies, such as potential acquisitions and revenue targets.
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AS Roma Finances 2022/23

The Swiss Ramble • 137 implied HN points • 25 Jan 24
💰 Finance Revenue
  1. Roma's pre-tax loss halved at €99m in 2022/23 season.
  2. Roma's revenue increased with match day revenue almost doubling.
  3. Despite improvement, Roma's pre-tax loss was still the second highest in Serie A.

Detroit’s Land Value Tax & Tax Foreclosure Risk

The Chargeback • 117 implied HN points • 24 Jan 24
💰 Finance Revenue
  1. Raising taxes on vacant land in Detroit may not lead to a new tax foreclosure crisis.
  2. Vacant residential lots are the most susceptible to tax foreclosure under the Land Value Tax proposal.
  3. Even if all vacant lots' owners stopped paying taxes, the revenue implications would be small compared to the total property tax levy of the city.

Datadog, Inc. Investment Thesis

The Wolf of Harcourt Street • 459 implied HN points • 14 Apr 23
💰 Finance Revenue
  1. Datadog is a leading company in cloud-based monitoring, with a diverse customer base and a focus on R&D for innovation and growth.
  2. The cloud monitoring industry is dynamic, with risks like disruption from new technologies and increased competition, but Datadog's market leadership positions it well to benefit from industry growth.
  3. Datadog utilizes a 'Land and Expand' strategy, showing potential for growth as businesses continue to adopt cloud computing technology, offering opportunities for revenue expansion and market share increase.

Ubisoft’s subscription plan

SuperJoost Playlist • 257 implied HN points • 31 Aug 23
💼 Business Revenue
  1. Ubisoft's share price jumped 10% after obtaining exclusive worldwide cloud gaming rights to all Activision titles
  2. Ubisoft's subscription model struggles to retain subscribers despite initial influx from promotions
  3. Competition from platform holders like Sony poses a challenge for publisher-based subscriptions like Ubisoft+

How to make PLG + SLG work in the AI era

Good Better Best • 2 implied HN points • 13 Feb 26
💼 Business Revenue
  1. PLG and SLG are not separate — design your product and contract journey so customers can flow between self-serve and sales-led experiences without friction.
  2. Prioritize flexibility in packaging and pricing, using committed-spend or credit models so customers can scale up and you avoid constant re-contracting.
  3. Align systems and finance: unify billing, CPQ, and reporting and treat professional services as an on-demand, billable product so expansion stays measurable and low-friction.

Lending business equation for your startup

Rohit’s Newsletter • 157 implied HN points • 28 Aug 23
💼 Business Revenue
  1. Lending businesses are competitive and require tight risk management.
  2. Key revenue drivers include interest, origination fee, servicing fee, merchant fee, and other fees.
  3. Focus on optimizing metrics like interest rate, cost of acquisition, default rate, and fraud rate for business growth.

What the hell is going on in Las Vegas?

Huddle Up • 59 implied HN points • 08 Aug 25
💼 Business Revenue
  1. Las Vegas is experiencing a big drop in tourism. Fewer people are visiting, leading to many empty hotel rooms and less money for casinos.
  2. In the first half of 2025, about 1.5 million less tourists came compared to the previous year. This decline is significant and has caused hotel occupancy rates to plummet.
  3. Many people believe the downturn might be linked to negative press and economic concerns. Also, Las Vegas may have overcharged visitors during its peak post-COVID times, hurting its long-term appeal.

Accounting Shenanigans (SMRT-US)

Guasty Winds Investment Ideas • 137 implied HN points • 12 May 23
💰 Finance Revenue
  1. Revenue growth at SmartRent was driven by accounting changes, not real business growth.
  2. The increase in revenue and adjusted EBITDA is due to accounting tricks and does not impact cash earnings.
  3. Professional services revenue showed little improvement, indicating the company's challenges in profitability.

How SaaS Pricing Changed in 2025

Good Better Best • 3 implied HN points • 28 Jan 26
💼 Business Revenue
  1. SaaS firms focused heavily on packaging in 2025, with adding new plans being the single most common change.
  2. Credit-based pricing models surged about 126% year over year, making credits a much more popular monetization tool.
  3. AI features became a much bigger share of product roadmaps, rising roughly fourfold since Q1 2024.

Gigaprofits: "batteries not included"

Intercalation Station • 279 implied HN points • 29 Mar 23
💼 Business Revenue
  1. Majority of gigafactories are experiencing thin profit margins ranging from 1-3%.
  2. Economies of scale play a significant role in profitability, with larger revenue leading to higher profits.
  3. CATL leads in market dominance with over $47B USD in revenue and over 30% market share in EV batteries.

Wimbledon's Most Interesting (And Secretive) Details

Huddle Up • 59 implied HN points • 01 Jul 25
🎾 Sports Revenue
  1. Wimbledon is not just a tennis tournament; it's a huge money-maker, earning around $500 million every summer and donating most of its profits back to British tennis.
  2. The event has clever ways to generate revenue, like selling expensive debentures for special access, which help fund projects like the retractable roof on Centre Court.
  3. There are secret underground tunnels at Wimbledon that make it easier for players and staff to move around without fans noticing, showing just how organized the event really is.

Your guide to SaaS metrics 2.0

Kyle Poyar’s Growth Unhinged • 567 implied HN points • 07 Jun 23
💼 Business Revenue
  1. Traditional SaaS metrics are not always reliable for product-led growth businesses.
  2. Modern software businesses should focus on the user's journey and product usage as key indicators of success.
  3. Executive and investor KPIs should consider factors like growth efficiency and revenue generation per employee.

"Does Detroit even need to tax homeowners?"

The Chargeback • 78 implied HN points • 08 Oct 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Revenue
  1. Eliminating all property taxes would lead to significant revenue loss for the city and make land speculation easier.
  2. Eliminating only homeowner property taxes could hurt renters and lead to increased taxes for non-homestead properties.
  3. Eliminating the portion of property taxes controlled by the City of Detroit could benefit homeowners but also speculators, and may not be revenue neutral.

Startups.email - $60k MRR in 3 months

startupsemail • 78 implied HN points • 13 May 23
💼 Business Revenue
  1. Building a successful SaaS business takes time and effort, with exponential growth once momentum is gained.
  2. If a business isn't generating revenue within 6 months, consider pivoting to a new idea; otherwise, stick with it for exponential growth.
  3. Choosing the right market segment, avoiding saturated markets, and understanding product-market fit are crucial for the success of a solopreneur.

The inside story of Amplitude’s new self-service plan

Kyle Poyar’s Growth Unhinged • 252 implied HN points • 06 Mar 24
💼 Business Revenue
  1. Launching a self-service plan can lead to significant improvements in conversion rates, even if initial numbers are low
  2. It's important to involve the sales team in the self-serve journey to avoid cannibalization and maintain a healthy balance between self-service and enterprise sales
  3. Revisiting pricing and packaging is crucial for the success of a self-service model, including conducting user interviews, analyzing features, and monitoring competitors

Can Japan Afford To Cut Consumption Tax If It Rolls Back Corporate Tax Cuts?

Japan Economy Watch • 219 implied HN points • 17 Jun 22
💰 Finance Revenue
  1. Japan has lost a significant amount of tax revenue due to cuts in corporate taxes, impacting the budget deficit.
  2. Rolling back corporate tax cuts to mid-1990s rates could offset losses and allow for a reduction in consumption tax without affecting overall revenue.
  3. The rise in corporate profits in Japan was primarily due to wage austerity and reduced interest payments, negatively impacting consumer demand.

5 Ways to Diversify Your Mining Business

nicosmid • 58 implied HN points • 09 May 23
💼 Business Revenue
  1. Mining businesses have high operational costs, with energy being a significant expense.
  2. Creating additional income streams can help make a mining business more resilient and competitive.
  3. Diversifying revenue sources can provide financial stability for mining businesses.

Q&A with IBM CEO Arvind Krishna

More Than Moore • 93 implied HN points • 08 Nov 24
💼 Business Revenue
  1. IBM is focusing on consulting, cloud services, AI, and research, as it no longer has a consumer division. Companies turn to IBM for help in improving efficiency and upgrading their technology.
  2. The launch of new AI models, like Granite, shows IBM's commitment to innovation in AI. They believe smaller, more efficient models are the future, making AI cheaper and easier to use.
  3. IBM is changing its approach to partnerships, focusing on collaboration with other companies instead of competing. This strategy helps enhance their offerings and build stronger business relationships.

4 key metrics to track for solofounders

Tiny Empires • 85 implied HN points • 13 Nov 24
💼 Business Revenue
  1. Track your monthly net profit to see if your business is healthy. If profits drop for too long, figure out why.
  2. Know your Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR) to understand how stable your income is. This helps you plan for the future.
  3. Focus on a few key metrics for marketing and sales, like the cost per lead and conversion rates, to make better decisions. Don't get lost in too much data.

AMD Q4 and FY 2023 Results

More Than Moore • 186 implied HN points • 19 Feb 24
💰 Finance Revenue
  1. AMD had a strong Q4 in 2023 with record-breaking revenue, driven by its Data Center Business Unit.
  2. The Client computing sector saw improvement in Q4 2023 after facing challenges in the first half of the year due to market shifts and inventory digestion.
  3. AMD's Gaming unit experienced a decline in Q4 revenue, mainly due to semi-custom sales, but overall yearly numbers were up with increased Radeon sales.

Football X Fashion : How Creative Directors Are Transforming Club Merch

Original Football • 39 implied HN points • 03 Aug 23
🪞 Fashion & Beauty Revenue
  1. Football clubs are integrating creative directors to enhance kit designs by infusing unique identities and captivating narratives into their apparel.
  2. The fusion of sports and fashion through creative directors not only boosts merchandising revenue for clubs but also extends their reach to a broader audience, blurring the line between sports and streetwear culture.
  3. Collaborations between football clubs and fashion icons, spearheaded by creative directors, lead to limited-edition collections that create excitement and enhance the global appeal of clubs, enabling them to compete in the global sports market.

Back from the Brink

Sector 6 | The Newsletter of AIM • 39 implied HN points • 30 Aug 23
🕹 Technology Revenue
  1. OpenAI was struggling financially but is now expecting to earn about $1 billion in the next year. This is a huge increase from the earlier projection of $200 million.
  2. The company's new product, ChatGPT Enterprise, is designed for businesses and offers better security, faster access, and more customization options.
  3. These changes are helping OpenAI feel more confident about its future revenue and success in the AI market.